1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hearing aid of the type having a first hearing aid function, a second hearing aid function and a switching device for automatically switching the first hearing aid function into the second hearing aid function. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for operating such a hearing aid.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In order to improve the operability of a hearing aid it may be appropriate to control important operator control functions automatically. As a result, savings in terms of operator controls can be achieved and the hearing aid can be made more convenient.
Hearing aids of the above-general type are known, for example, from the company Hansaton. Such hearing aids have one or more reed contacts for carrying out the automatic switching between a number of functions of the hearing aid. As a result, it is possible to switch the hearing aid automatically from the microphone-operating mode to the telephone coil operating mode if a telephone receiver is held against the ear provided with the hearing aid, since the receiver is generally equipped with a permanent magnet. Similar hearing aids are also known from DE 31 09 049 C2, DE 299 23 019 U1, DE 196 33 321 A1 and DE 37 34 946 C2.
A further application for magnetic field-controlled automatic switching of a hearing aid is its automatic deactivation when the hearing aid is placed in its storage box or charge station. For this purpose there is a small magnet in the storage box or charge station that switches the reed contact in the hearing aid by means of its direct magnetic field so that the hearing aid is deactivated without an operator control component being actuated. A disadvantage with reed contacts is their volume and their movable contact elements, which not only require a high degree of expenditure to manufacture but also have a relatively short service life.